How to Draw Ty Cobb

STEP 1.

To draw Ty Cobb, we should first sketch out some basic construction lines. Use a 2H or harder pencil and sketch very lightly so that the lines are easy to erase later on after we ink. Sketch out the upper portion of a stick figure shape such as this, with the arms bent inward towards the body, since he will be grasping a baseball bat.

STEP 2.

Next, it's a good idea to expand upon our guide lines by sketching the basic human form using simple geometric shapes. Doing so will help ensure that the figure is proportionate when we apply clothing later on. Sketch the basic shape of the head, neck, torso, and arms. Be sure to draw crisscross construction lines for the center of the face, the eyes, nose, and mouth.

STEP 3.

Let's begin working on his eyes. They should rest evenly along the horizontal guide line of the face and be squinted tightly. Make sure that the iris and pupils are perfectly round and are looking directly at us. Draw numerous creases above and below the eyes, as well as fine lines in the corners for crows-feet. His eyebrows are fairly short and should be pointing down in the middle.

STEP 4.

Use the vertical guide line to help place the nose in the center of the face. His nose is a tad long, but it should end about half way between the eyes and chin. He has small nostrils and the tip of his nose points downwards somewhat. Be sure to draw vertical creases protruding from corners of the nostrils.

STEP 5.

Cobb has very thin lips. His upper lip is well defined, but the lower lip is almost invisible. Draw short vertical lines at the corners of the mouth. Also draw the indentation about the upper lip, and the horizontal crease below the lower lip for the top of the chin.

STEP 6.

Now draw the outer contours of his face and jaw. He has a very rounded chin and a rounded jaw that gently curves upwards towards his ear.

STEP 7.

The right ear will be partially hidden from view at this angle. His ears stick out from his head pretty far and have very rounded creases in them. The tops of the ears should align with his eyes, and the bottoms should alight with the bottom of his nose.

STEP 8.

Draw his baseball cap. Caps back then were fairly loose, so the top should have some indentations in it. The bill should be sticking out in front of his head and we should be able to see the underside of it clearly. Also draw a small bit of hair on the side of his head protruding from beneath the cap.

STEP 9.

He has a fairly long neck. The front of the neck should start beneath the front edge of his chin. The back should start beneath his left ear. The lines should curve back slightly as they get closer to his torso. The bottom of the neck can be cut off by a V shaped collar from his jersey.

STEP 10.

Let's start drawing his left arm next. The upper shoulder should be slouched down, leading to the sleeve of his shirt. The sleeve should be very large and made of heavy fabric, creating many large, thick creases and folds. The arm is bent at a 90 degree angle causing most of the creases to occur at the inner elbow.

STEP 11.

Now draw the right arm, which is also bent, but it's bent slightly in our direction. This will make the creases of the fabric more rounded as they encircle the arm.

STEP 12.

We can now draw the hands. The fingers should be clenched since he's holding a bat. Use your construction lines to make sure that the hands are in the proper location to be holding the bat. Be sure to draw the creases of the knuckles on the hands.

STEP 13.

Go back to the body and finish drawing the torso. Draw the belt line around the waste, causing numerous vertical folds and creases at the bottom of the shirt where it is tucked in. Elaborate on the collar by drawing the fabric sticking out from around the neck a little bit. The jersey buttons up down the middle, so draw a long line down the middle of the shirt with small buttons along the side. Be sure that they adhere to the folds of the shirt.

STEP 14.

Let's draw the baseball bat next. Use a ruler to help you. It should be held in his hands diagonally across his torso. Notice how the end of the bat is thicker than the handle. Give the bat some texture by drawing thin wood grain lines down the body of the bat.

STEP 15.

Finally, let's add the decorative designs to the shirt. There should be a thin line around the collar and alongside the buttons of the shirt. There should be a large A (for "Athletics") on the left side of his chest.

STEP 16.

We're now done penciling the image and we can move on to inks. Use either Micron markers, or a brush and India ink to do your inking. A brush works great for inking folds in fabric, but Microns are great when inking the designs on the uniform. Use a ruler to help ink the baseball bats. Carefully go over each line with patience and be sure not to ink any guide lines. When the ink has totally dried, erase your pencil marks with a kneaded eraser.

STEP 17.

You can add a greater sense of depth to the image by giving it some shadow. Use either a thick felt tip marker, or a brush and ink to do your shading. Shade the area beneath the bill of the hat, as well as around the eyes, under the nose, along the bottom edge of the bat, and along some of creases in the fabric. Don't go too heavy with shading since baseball games back then were usually held during well lit days, and his uniform is predominantly white anyways.

STEP 18.

And you're done! If you need to make any corrections you can use white ink or opaque white paint. You can also add highlights if needed. That's how you draw Ty Cobb! Great work!

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